Heat exchanger



H. N. HAIGHT HEAT EXCHANGER Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 5, 1956 INVENTOR I yowfizp 4 44/9/27 BY i 4 011/ 94 47'702/VEV5 Jan. 5, 1960 H. N. HAlGHT 2,919,906

HEAT EXCHANGER Original Filed March 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. #047020 /V. A/Q/GA T BY 6M5 United States Patent HEAT EXCHANGER Howard N. Haight, Alhambra, Calif., assignor to C. F. grat n & Co., Alhambra, Califi, a corporation of Callornia 1 Claim. (Cl. 257-239 This invention relates to heat exchangers of the shelland-tube type and is particularly directed to improvements in such devices for high pressure service.

Conventional heat exchangers of this type commonly employ a shell enclosing a bundle of tubes. Fluid is passed through the tubes in heat-exchange relationship with other fluid passing through the shell outside the tubes. One end of the tube bundle is fixed to a circular disk member known as a tube-sheet and this member closes one end of the shell. A flow directing member known as a channel is secured against the rim of the tubesheet and serves to direct high pressure fluid into and/ or out of the tubes. A closure for this flow directing member is known as a channel cover. and is customarily attached by bolted flange connections. Where the size of the device is large to provide the needed capacity and where the device is to be used in high pressure service, the channel cover thickness becomes excessive, and the bolted connection between the channel and the channel cover becomes very large and cumbersome and difiicuit to maintain in tight sealing contact.

It is the principal object of this invention to eliminate this disadvantageous feature and to provide a novel form of combined channel and channel cover. In accordance with my invention, I provide a channel member which is substantially spherical in shape and which has a circular opening at one side receiving the circular tubesheet. The tubesheet and channel member are integrally joined by welding. The interior size of the channel member is large enough to permit a man to work therein for the purpose of performing the usual installation and maintenance operations on the ends of the tubes which extend into the tubesheet. The inside diameter of the channel member is larger than the diameter of the tubesheet with the result that clearance space is provided around the periphery of the tubesheet for manipulation of suitable tools by the workman. The spherical shape of the channel member makes it possible to employ material of approximately one-half the thickness of the conventional type channel.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, show.- ing a e t e an e of e shell andu ype a mci' y y inven i n Figure 2 i a c on l i t a po on of e e i e as shown o l n .2 of Figure the d vi e e n omitte fo l rity f il s ra o Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substanti l y on t e ine 3-5 as sho o F gure 1.

Fig e 4 i a e d elevation- Referring to the drawings, the heat exchanger generally designated includes a shell 11 having supporting legs 12. The dome shaped end 13 is formed integrally with the shell 11 and closes one end thereof. A heavy circular plate or tubesheet 14 closes the other end of the shell 11. The tubesheet 14 is provided with a large number of apertures which receive the ends of tubes 15. These tubes, in the form of a bundle 16, are mounted within the shell 11. Fluid passes into the interior of the shell 11 through inlet nozzle 17 and is caused to travel longitudinally within the shell by suitable bafiles, not shown. The fluid emerges from the shell at the outlet nozzle 18.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a spherical channel member 19 which has a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter of the shell 11. The member 19 is provided with a circular opening 20 to receive the tubesheet 14. Weld metal 21 integrally joins the tubesheet 14 to the spherical member 19. A divider 22 is positioned within the interior of the spherical member 19 to separate it into two chambers and serves to direct fluid admitted through inlet 23 into the interior of one end of the tubes 15. The other ends of the tubes 15 communicate with the space on the other side of the divider 22 and the fluid which has passed through the tubes 15 is directed through the outlet 24.

Since the inside diameter of the spherical member 19 is larger than the outside diameter of the tubesheet 14, there is adequate clearance space around the outermost tubes 15 to permit use of conventional tools 25 by a man working within the interior of themember 19. As shown in the drawings, the inner spherical surface of the hollow channel member 19 curves outward and away from the front face of the tubesheet 14 in the vicinity of the welded joint 21. The tools 25 are used for expanding the tubes 15 within the apertures provided in the tubesheet 14. Access to the interior of the member 19 is gained through the removable closure assembly 26 for the manhole 27. The manhole may be oval in shape and the closure or manhole cover 28 may be mounted on hinges 29, positioned within the interior of the member 19. Releasable fasteners 30 mounted on the manhole cover 28 engage clamp arms 31 mounted exteriorly of the member 19.

The divider 22 is preferably welded to the member 19, and may be constructed of segmental parts of a size permitting them to pass through the manhole 27.

When it is necessary to gain access to the portion of the tubesheet 14 enclosed by the divider 22, the divider 22' is torch-cut to permit its removal from operative position. It may be cut into segments small enough to pass out through the manhole 27.

This is a division of my-co-pending application Serial No. 569,405 filed March 5, 1956, now abandoned.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a heat exchanger of the shell-and-tube type, the combination of: a generally cylindrical shell, 21 generally spherical hollow channel member positioned coaxially of the'shell and having a lateral circular opening substantially smgller than the inner diameter of the member, a flat cir- 0111M e e t we ed?!) t e s ell. we d means n t e opening joining the tubesheet to the hollow channel member, the tubesheet having a plnrality of apertures extending therethrough, a plurality of tubes within the shell having end portions extending into the tubesheet apertures, the hollow channel member having a manhole in the wall thereof and a removable closure therefor, said member having an inside diameter substantially greater than the inside diameter of the shell and being large enough to permit a workman to enter the interior thereof through the manhole, the inner spherical surface of the hollow channel member curving outward and away from the tubesheet and from the welded joint between them to provide clearance space for tube-contacting tools used by the 3 workman, and means providing fluid flow connections for 2,391,244 the hollow channel member and the shell. 2,596,233

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 606,933 965,822 Kestner June 26, 1910 666,922 1,767,989 Leek June 24, 1930 946,944

Jackson Dec. 18, 1945 Gardner May 13, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 23, 1948 Great Britain Nov. 14, 1951 France Dec. 27, 1948 

